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I've obtained local dealer prices for the Yamaha CLP-150 and Kawai CA5. Both are about $2600 before tax.

What do you think of these prices? Do you think they could do a little better?

Thanks.

i was pushed to buy a CLP150 floor model last year, and the sales guy asked for $2400 with tax included. i didn't take it though then. but the store was closing, so that might be another story. $2600 doesn't sound too bad, maybe you could negotiate it a bit down.

I purchased my Yamaha CLP-150 about one year ago for $2,000. I lived in NY, but shopped around for the best price & bought mine in MA.

phrf201, how do you like your CLP-150? Anything you especially like or dislike?

Could you tell me the name of the store you purchsaed it from? I haven't been able to find these online.

Thanks.

IMO, if you can afford the extra cost, buy the CLP 170. The advantages are: Much better action, far more responsive, with a faster processor, and double sensor on each key.

Also, I think the sound, is much more realistic than on the CLP 150. Firstly the sample itself is much more detailed and uses more memory, also the speaker system is specially designed to sound like you have a real acoustic piano in the room.

For these reasons alone, I think the CLP 170 is a far better choice.

I paid about 3K for a CLP170. It has lots of great features and a realistic touch. Also, has a disk-drive.

$2600 isn't bad, but not great. As you can see from other posts, you can always find a lower price. I would encourage though to buy from a local dealer, which usually results in much better after sales support.

I would also encourage you to check out the Yamaha CLP170, not only does it have the disk drive which makes storing your recorded songs easier, but you can also use it as a player piano, only the keys will not move. In addition, it has a much better speaker set-up called iAFC. Ask your local dealer about that feature as well.

I have not played the Kawai's in some years so I cannot comment much on them.

Good luck in your search!

I’m very happy with my CLP-150. The keyboard action and sound are wonderful (I also tried a CLP-170 which was very nice). Yamaha has excellent customer service. When I noticed a clicking noise in the sustain pedal, I contacted Yamaha and they sent a technician to my home – at no charge – to replace the pedal.

I noticed from your emails in other forums that you are also considering an acoustic piano. I started my search with an acoustic bias – I learned to play on a Steinway Grand and my piano teacher had a Baldwin. But after shopping for several months and playing new & used acoustics and digitals, I chose a digital. In my budget range, the digital offered consistent sound & keyboard quality, features that helped with practicing such as a headphone jack & built-in recorder – and it always stays in tune!

The used acoustics I played in the same price range all had issues with keyboard action and sound quality – especially the spinets!! Ugh.

FYI – I didn’t see any new CLPs advertised online when I did my search, but perhaps others on this forum can help you with this. I purchased mine from a piano store in the Boston area; they do not ship out of state so we drove there from NY to pick up the piano.

Hope this info. helps & good luck with your search.

Yamaha CLP line is only sold by dealers.

Thanks all for the replies and help on choosing our first digital piano. Phrf201, yes, I was considering going acoustic initially and then gradually changed my mind to digital. Then I saw an interesting local ad for an acoustic and that's what led to my recent acoustic post. However, my wife and I have now firmly selected the digital.

We looked at the CL-150 and Kawai CA5 at two different dealers today. We both liked the CLP-150 much more than the CA5. Because we couldn't compare the sound side by side, I can't say either one sounded better, except the Yamaha seemed to play louder and with a fuller sound (Yamaha has 2x60W and the Kawai has 2x40W).

The Yamaha's speakers are built in the cabinet, and there appears to be a bass port as well (not sure though, it just looked like one). The Kawai's speakers are individually enclosed in some kind of shell, which appears to be plastic.

Although the Kawai has wooden keys, I felt the action was heavy. The Yamaha had a nice touch. The Yamaha's electronics seemed much more advanced than the Kawai's. For example, the Yamaha has a LCD text display which give the exact name of a voice or whatever, while the Kawai only gives you a numeric code on a LED display. The Yamaha cabinet also looked a little better. However, the Kawai CA5 is still very nice and perhaps if I could have evaluated them side by side I would have a different opinion.

Csmith1978, I agree with you about supporting my local dealer, especially since there is only 1 to choose from in my area (still about 40 miles away). This is bothersome to me that I cannot shop for the best price and service, which is why I was asking about market price. Fortunately, I like the dealer but I certainly don't have any price leverage.

So we're sold on the Yamaha, but a couple of you have me thinking about the CLP-170. I really didn't want to spend over $3000, so I'm reluctant to consider it. And I know it's an overkill for what I intend to do with it (and so is the CLP-150 for that matter).

What would you say are the best features of the CLP-170 that are lacking in the 150? The floppy is OK, but I would be more excited to see a removable memory card rather than a floppy.

Thanks.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, the features that most distinguish the CLP 170 are simply its superior piano sound sample, the excellent iAFC speaker system, and the new GH3 keyboard which a few concert pianists I know regard as superior to a grand piano!

FWIW, I have heard of a dealer selling Yamaha Clavinovas on EBay and their price on the CLP150 is over $3100, so the price you received ended up being pretty descent. Good luck in the remainder of your search.

Hi

I am also the proud owner of a CLP170 in polished ebony and if I had to choose between it and the wife I'd miss her (yeah I know the old ones are the best)

If you can stretch a little get the 170 you will never be sorry...I love mine.

heres a tip

Do a search for the cheapest price you can find on the internet ..print it off and take it into the dealer with you and explain that:-

"You would much rather buy it from them your local dealer but, you can get it sooooo much cheaper off the net and could they match the price you show them"

I'll bet my bottom dollar you'll cut a deal

My local dealer wanted £3K for my piano ...I found it on the net at £2K...guess what? yes, they price matched and sold me a matching piano stool for £120...so I saved a thousand pounds off their retail price...I bit their hand off there and then (still smile about it now )


regards


Lee